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Safety Concerns Lead To Emergency Closure Near Jenny Lake In Grand Teton National Park

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Published Date

July 10, 2018

A highly popular area near Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has been closed to the public for the immediate future due to concerns over expanding cracks and fissures in a large rock formation, park officials said Tuesday evening.

The National Park Service implemented an emergency closure in the Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point areas on the west side of Jenny Lake for human safety. Some recently expanding cracks and fissures have been identified in a large rock buttress above the Hidden Falls viewing area, a park release said.

"Human safety is our No. 1 priority, and with an abundance of caution we are temporarily closing this area until we can properly assess the situation," said Superintendent David Vela. 

Those familiar with the site, specifically park rangers and personnel with Exum Mountain Guides, identified the cracks and fissures and determined the situation to be a possible safety hazard. The notable changes in the rock over the past 24 hours spurred park rangers to implement a temporary closure and initiate a risk assessment with subject-matter experts.

Exum Mountain Guides are relocating their practice school services to another location, and shuttle boat and scenic cruises with Jenny Lake Boating will continue to operate. Visitors are able to ride the boat to the west shore, hike Cascade Canyon or around the lake, and enjoy some areas of the west shore as well as the front country areas of the Jenny Lake Complex.

It is unknown how long the closure at Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point areas will be in place.

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Comments

Submitted by Alton Marsh on July 11, 2018 - 10:17am.

So there is going to be a rockslide?


Submitted by john metzger on July 13, 2018 - 9:38am.

..we would be happy to establish a monitoring site and acquire near real-time data to contribute to the consideration of risk, and mitigation options...


Submitted by Jess on July 13, 2018 - 7:39pm.

isnit srill possible to hike to lake solitud?


Submitted by Anonymous on July 14, 2018 - 1:50pm.

Of course you can hike to lake Solitude...

Just go past Jenny Lake docj. To the north and find the Cascade Canyon Trail


Submitted by Danny on July 14, 2018 - 7:58pm.

Is this normal or does it mean something bad is brewing ?


Submitted by Lee Dalton on July 15, 2018 - 9:05am.

No, it simply means that Mother Nature still reigns supreme. 


Submitted by Watcher on July 16, 2018 - 5:17am.

No it means that God the Father still reigns supreme.


Submitted by Rick B. on July 16, 2018 - 6:13pm.

Any sort of theological reason to explain rock slides, weather variances, or other such are just as wrong as anyone else's spitballing at the broadside of a barn wild arsed guesses.


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